Dungy likes Tebow's NFL potential, but likes another QB more

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy thinks three quarterbacks in this year's NFL draft have the potential to be great professional players and one of them is - surprise - Florida's Tim Tebow.

Dungy has been a vocal Tebow fan since the Gators' season ended. Still, he'd pick another quarterback first if it was his decision to make, and it wouldn't be Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, the current favorite.

"If I was a general manager, I probably would take Colt McCoy (of Texas) first because there's less questions about him," Dungy said in a video posted to his Web site, AllProDad.com.

Dungy said Tebow, a two-time national champion and former Heisman Trophy winner, needs to find the right fit because of his unconventional style.

"Tim Tebow has to get into a situation where they are willing to build an offense around his strengths, and that's going to be something a little different," Dungy said, comparing that to what the Tennessee Titans did when they made Vince Young their starter last season.

Bradford is generally considered the top quarterback prospect in the draft and the likely choice of the St. Louis Rams with the No. 1 pick, but Dungy said he has to overcome lingering questions about the shoulder surgery that ended his 2009 season early after he won the Heisman as a sophomore in 2008.

"People are going to ask, 'Is he 100 percent?' and will he be able to handle the physical duress that you get in the National Football League," Dungy said.

He said he believes all three have the intangibles needed to succeed in the NFL.

"These are three quality young men and I think they have that inner strength that it really takes to lead a team and I think they're going to do fantastic," Dungy said. "Quarterbacking is a lot more than throwing the ball accurately and arm strength. Quarterbacking is leading, its decision-making, it's processing information, and it's handling pressure. All three of these guys have proven over their college careers that they can do that."

Bradford, Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and McCoy are the top QBs according to most draft analysts, with Tebow generally being rated No. 4 or No. 5 at the position.

Tebow used the University of Florida Pro Day last week to show off work he had done to improve his throwing motion and footwork, and several scouts came away saying he had made significant progress.